Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Pebmarsh, Essex

Description

PEBMARSH THE STREET
TL 83 SE
(north side)
4/101 (27/572) Parish Church of St. John
the Baptist
21 6 62
GV I
Parish church, mainly C14, restored in C19. Walls of stone rubble with
dressings of limestone, the rubble mainly exposed inside and outside, but cement
rendered on the E and N walls of the chancel. Porch and parapets of red brick
in English bond. Roofed with handmade red clay tiles and lead. W tower early
C14, added to a pre-existing nave. Chancel and nave rebuilt soon afterwards,
and N and S aisles then added. Chancel shortened and S porch added in early
C16, and most of the parapets rebuilt. N organ chamber C19, and general
restoration, including the removal of all plaster. The Chancel has an early C16
E wall and a C19 E window. The N and S walls have moulded internal and external
string-courses of the C14. In the N wall are 2 C14 windows, each of 2
cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 2-centred head, partly restored, with
moulded label and head-stops; between the windows is the C19 organ chamber. In
the S wall are 3 windows; the 2 eastern, set high in the wall, are Cl4, of 2
trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in segmental-pointed heads with moulded
labels and head-stops; the western window is similar to those in the N wall,
much restored. Below the middle window is a C14 doorway, with moulded jambs and
2-centred arch, moulded label and head-stops. The C14 chancel-arch is 2-
centred, of 2 chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner resting on
semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals. The Nave has in the E wall above
the chancel-arch a small opening with 2-centred head, blocked externally. The N
and S arcades are mid-C14, each of 4 bays with 2-centred arches of 2 chamfered
orders; the columns consist of 4 attached shafts, 2 semi-octagonal and 2 semi-
circular, with moulded capitals and bases; the responds have semi-circular
shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The C14 clerestorey has on each side 3
windows of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in 2-centred heads. The roof of
the nave is in 5 bays, with queen-posts on straight tiebeams, one purlin in each
slope, and curved braces from the queen-posts to the purlins. There has been
some C19 restoration, mainly of the queen-posts and their braces. The
wallplates are cavetto moulded. The N aisle is C14 and has an E window of 3
cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 2-centred head. In the N wall are 2
windows, each of 2 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 2-centred head.
Further W is the N doorway, with moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and label. In
the W wall is a C14 window of 2 cinquefoiled lights in a 2-centred head with
moulded label and head-stops. The S aisle has E, S and W windows uniform with
those of the N aisle. W of the windows in the S wall is the S doorway, with
moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and crocketed and finialed label springing from
flanking buttresses with crocketed pinnacles. The roofs of the aisles retain
some original plain rafters, the remainder C19. The crenellated brick parapets
are C16. The W tower, early C14, is the oldest part of the present building,
square and in 3 stages. The tower-arch is C19. In the S wall of the first
stage is a window of one cinquefoiled light. The second stage has in the N, S
and W walls a window of one pointed light with moulded label, trefoiled in the S
window only. In the E wall is a pointed opening and the weathering of the
earlier and lower roof of the nave. The bell-chamber has a pointed window in
each wall. There is a C16 crenellated brick parapet with corner pinnacles and
blue diaper design. The S porch is of brick, early C16, with a crow-stepped
gable. The outer archway has moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and label, and is
set in a projection with crow-stepped head. Above the arch is a niche flanked
by 2 square cinquefoiled panels and surmounted by a rectangular panel enclosing
a rose. The side walls each have a window of two 4-centred lights, hollow-
moulded inside and out, with pierced spandrel. The wallplates are moulded and
crenellated, carved with running foliage, the roof rebuilt. Fittings: there are
5 bells, the fifth by John Bird, inscribed 'Sum Rosa Pulsata Mundi Maria
Vocata', early C15. In the chancel there is a brass of Sir William Fitzralph,
c.1323, large cross-legged figure of knight in mixed mail and plate, feet on
dog, prick spurs, greaves, knee-caps and arm-pieces with elbow and shoulder
roundels, mutilated shield of arms of Fitzralph on left arm, indent of gabled
canopy and marginal inscription. On S wall, brass to Joseph Birch, 1674, rector
of the parish, in wooden frame. In the S aisle a coffin-lid, with foliated
cross, C14, much worn. On the S wall of the chancel there are floor-slabs to
Thomas Cross, 1634, pastor of the parish, and to Elizabeth, widow of Steven
Crosse, 1667. There is C14 glass in the NW window of the chancel, one shield of
arms for Bourguylon and two for Fitzralph, and fragments elsewhere. In the
chancel there is a range of 2 sedilia, formerly extending further E but
shortened with the chancel, with moulded 2-centred arches, ogee crocketed and
finialed labels with head-stops, the middle shaft of Purbeck marble, jamb-shaft
and shafts at back of recess in clunch, all with moulded capitals and bases,
C14, restored. In the S aisle there is a piscina with shafted jambs,
cinquefoiled and sub-cusped head and sexfoiled drain, C14. The S door is C14,
of V-edged boards, but refaced inside and out in the C19, with a refitted domed
scutcheon-plate and drop-handle, probably original.

Listing NGR: TL8536733489

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Parish Church of St John the Baptist

A Grade I Listed Building in Pebmarsh, Essex

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Description

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